Entrepreneurship cannot be equated to funding: Shark Tank India's Anupam Mittal

Funding has a relatively short history and it should not be confused with entrepreneurship, said Anupam Mittal, Founder and CEO, Shaadi.com.

In a fireside chat with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma at the Mumbai edition of TechSparks 2024, Mittal said while capital infusion is important, it can't be equated to entrepreneurship. He highlighted that there is a misconception among entrepreneurs regarding the necessity of constant validation through fundraising. 

“In the last 10 years, money has been practically free [due to] near-zero interest rates, and things that come free are not valued," he said.

However, even though he calls equity "costly," the Shark Tank India investor believes capital is an important resource for building a business. 

“At the right time, you will need capital for scaling, growing faster or for hiring," he said, emphasising that the best way to get funding is through customers. "Not only is your product validated, you're not giving any equity for that. And if your customers are not going to buy or pay you for your products, what right do you have to ask an investor." 

“What is celebrated [today] is a round every six months...It means something is not working," he observed, noting that some of the most valuable companies like Apple and Google reached their zeniths without raising substantial capital.